Slayers WARP
by Jacqueline Land
Summary: Zel and Xel are mysteriously transported to a strange world where parralels of their friends live. Rated...just 'cause
1. The beginning...and stuff

She awoke, stretched her arms and tried to rub the sleep from her head. Glancing at the alarm clock, she face-faulted, "Ack! I'm late.....AGAIN!" Jumping to her feet, she pulled on some clothes that were lying on her floor and ran a brush through her hair. Without bothering to brush her teeth or eat breakfast, she grabbed her backpack and ran out the door. IGood thing the school's only three blocks away,/i she thought, II'd have been suspended already if I had to take the bus. /i  
  
  
Pushing open the doors, she breathed a sigh of relief. Kids were still everywhere, but the halls were thinning out a bit. After a quick stop at her locker, she sunk into her seat in the back corner of the room. Ah, now she could finish her sleeping. A voice cut through her rest, the long nasal of Mr. Deidei. "It's first period! You can't be sleeping already! Are you listening, Lina? Lina?! LINA! LINA INVERSE! WAKE UP!"   
  
~  
  
A park. The usual kind of park, with a flurry of young children and their parents playing happily on swings, see-saws, and other park things. A man jumped down from a tree. He was extremely out of place in this setting, wearing a priests' garbs amongst the summer dresses and dirty overalls. Purple hair shone in the sun. A ball bounced over to him, stopping by his foot, "Hey mister? Can I have my ball, mister?"   
  
The man knelt down and handed the little boy his plaything. Smiling, he said, "So, what's your name?"   
  
"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."   
  
"Oh? Well, I'm not a stranger! In fact, I know me very well, if I do say so myself."   
  
The boy, looking slightly puzzled, accepted this, "My name's Michael."   
  
If closed eyes could look surprised, his would have, "My name used to be Michael, but now it's Xelloss. Pleased to meet you Michael." He extended his hand.   
  
The boy took it, shaking it vigorously, "Call me Mike, everyone else does, except my mom."   
  
"Okay, Mike."   
  
"Xelloss, that's a weird name, mister. How'd you ever think of it?"   
  
"I didn't, my master did."   
  
"Master? My mom told me about masters and slaves once. Are you a slave, Xelloss? My mom says it happened a long time ago, but if you're a slave, you should run away. You can live with me!"   
  
"Thank you, but I won't. I'm not really a slave, more of a general....."   
  
The boy interrupted him, "Your in the army? Cool!"   
  
Xelloss could see this wasn't going to work, "Why don't you go play, Mike. I think your friends are waiting for you."   
  
Mike looked back, it was true. All his friends were watching him talk to this creepy looking guy. He smiled at Xelloss, "Alright then. Nice talking to you, Mr. Xelloss!" He ran back to his friends to play, forgetting about the stranger shortly.   
  
Xelloss watched him go, smiling. He sat down on a bench beside two ladies, who quickly left, unnerved by the strange fellow. IThis should be interesting,/i he thought, II wonder if the others know what's going on....... /i  
  



	2. In which the rest of the characters are ...

"Lina! Lina, wait up!" Amelia ran up to walk beside her friend, "Jeeze, The D really reamed you out today. You should start getting to school earlier. By being prompt you can ensure yourself a good education and......."   
  
The infamous Lina Inverse tuned out her best friend's lecture. She'd heard it a thousand times before. Amelia Seyruun, daughter of Philionel Seyruun, owner of MagickStar enterprises. Some big company that had lots of money and was always doing charity work and the like. Mr. Seyruun believed a good education and caring heart were the keys to everything. So did Amelia. Lina glanced at her friend. Sure, she was annoying, but she was also the most trustworthy and nicest person you could want for a friend. Besides, when it came down to it, Amelia was tough as nails.......well, maybe not, more like cotton candy.......   
  
Getting some books out of her locker, her thoughts and Amelia's lecture were interrupted by Gourry Gabriev, the captain of the football team. Looking up, Lina smiled. He may not be the prettiest shoes in the store, but damn, he was cute. She blushed at her own thoughts, "Hey Gourry."   
  
"Hi Lina," He blushed too, "Umm, I was thinking... ..."   
  
Lina giggled, "I'll tell the principal, we'll have a parade."   
  
Gourry laughed. He knew he was stupid, and he didn't usually like people making fun of him. But when Lina did it, she wasn't trying to be mean. Maybe I shouldn't, she'd never say yes anyways, I'm just a big dump jock. And she a pretty flat-chested girl. But maybe.....   
  
Lina poked him, "Gourry? Did you forget where you were again?"   
  
Blushing, Gourry stuttered, "Oh, uhh, sorry Lina. Heh, I suppose I did. Umm, I'll talk to you later. Bye!"   
  
He hurried away, not wanting Lina to see him uncomfortable. Lina's eyes followed him as she closed her locker, "What was that all about?"   
  
Amelia grinned, "Like you don't know!"   
  
Lina gave her a blank look.   
  
"You really don't know?! C'mon! It's Iso/i obvious he's crushing on you!"   
  
"No way!"   
  
"Lina, it's right in front of your face! I can't believe you can't see it!"   
  
"What would Ihe/i want with me? He's a football player, and I'm just the flat girl. Naga and the rest of her cheerleaders get people like that."   
  
"Speak of the devil..."   
  
"Wha...?"   
  
Lina was cut off as something big and bouncy collided with her. It was the left boob of Naga the Serpent, so called by the rumors about her style in bed. Lina forced a smile, "Hey Nag."   
  
Naga laughed. Her irritating, ear-piercing valley girl laugh, "Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho! How's my best friend?"   
  
She hugged Lina, nearly suffocating her. Then she spotted Amelia. Cracking her gum spitefully, she sneered, "What's my best friend doing hanging out with rich, goody-two-shoes trash like you."   
  
Amelia's eye's watered, and her bottom lip quivered. She looked away so Naga couldn't see the tears threatening to come, "You shouldn't say things like that, it's not becoming." Naga laughed and gave her a shove.   
  
She put her arm around Lina, "C'mon, girl. Lose the rich bitch and we'll go have a blast down at The Slave."   
  
Lina shoved her arm off, "Naga, go shove it! Go hang out with the other cheerleaders. I'm not gonna ditch off school to hang out with a whole bunch of pompous girls at some dirty little bar!"   
  
The Serpent chuckled, not getting Lina's point at all, "Okay then, talk to you later, best buddy!" She walked away, flaunting her perfect butt and well endowed chest. Lina steamed.   
  
She was helping Amelia get her composure back when the bell rang, "Dammit, class!"   
  
"You go ahead, I'll catch up later."   
  
"You sure?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
Lina headed to class. She was concerned for her friend, but she couldn't afford to be late again. Amelia ran to the bathroom and locked herself in a stall before letting the tears fall.   
  
~  
  
The park. On the other side, away from the equipment, the place filled with trees and perfect places for having picnics. A man clad in beige looks at his hands in wonder. His hands are perfectly normal, human hands. This is what surprises him so. IHow can this be?/i He removes his hood and runs a hand through his hair, his Ihuman/i hair. It was soft, silky, nice to the touch. IUnbelievable..... /i  
  
It was then that Zelgadiss realized where he was. He didn't know. All he knew was it wasn't the place he supposed to be. He was sitting on a bench, in a park. That in itself wasn't so bad. What disturbed him were the people, all dressed strangely, and the big things that moved loudly around the edges of the park. Not a horse in sight.   
  
Instinctively, Zel searched for a familiar face in the crowd of people by the equipment. He thought he might have glimpsed a flash of mahogany wood and some purple hair, but dismissed the thought. Why would Xelloss be here and not Lina or Gourry or Amelia? Not really thinking, he walked toward the group of children and mothers, hoping to find out where he was. And extremely fat and angry lady walked up to him, red in the face.   
  
"Sir," she huffed, "How dare you come near our children with that, that....thing!"   
  
"Excuse me?"   
  
"Imagine, with all the violence around these days! And you! A grown man, carrying around a sword - A REAL one, no less - as if you were a little boy playing Hired Mercenary!"   
  
"Ma'am, I can assure you....."   
  
"Don't you 'ma'am' me! I love my grandchildren more then anything in the world, and I'll be damned if anyone's a bad influence on them!"   
  
"Ma'am, your causing a scene."   
  
It was true, children and parents alike had gathered around, watching the confrontation between the strange, badly-clothed guy and the uppity grandmother.   
  
"I don't give a damn if I'm causing a scene! Now get your sorry little rear-end away from these innocent children!" She pointed to the edge of the park. Zelgadiss could swear he could hear a familiar chuckle....   
  
Not wanting to make even more trouble then he already had, Zelgadiss put his hands up in a defensive gesture and turned around, walking away from the fat cow and her little calves. He heard her call to him as he left, "May god have mercy on your surely damned soul! You will burn eternally for trying to corrupt our children!"   
  
Zel met the dirt, "Oh brother....."   
  



	3. Where we lay our scene...

The Dragon Slave. Called The Slave by the regulars. A seedy little bar that was a second home to underage and aged and useless alike. No one judged anyone here. That is, you weren't judged if you weren't different. Not physically, since everyone who came here was a little...odd, but it was the way you acted. It wasn't easy to get accepted here, but once you were in, you were in for life. Rezz was the bartender, never slept, never left. Just served the drinks and lent an ear to everyone's problems. People said he was blind, but he always knew where everyone and everything was. He knew everything that went on in the cities underground, but no one ever approached him. The patrons watched out for Rezz. Without him, where would they be? He may not be very talkative, but he never ratted anyone out.   
  
Zolf and Rod sat at a corner table, playing poker, like always. Their tab was longer then their lives, but Rezz never bugged 'em. He never bugged anyone. Those who could pay, did. Those who couldn't did what they could. Dilgear sat by the door, reading an old paper and watching the door, playing bouncer tonight. It wasn't often unwanted people came in. But when they did, the fun started. Val sat at the bar, muttering to himself and drinking. He was powerful in the underground, but inside he was messed up. He'd been through some rough times, had some psychological 'inner-child' problems. It didn't help he was crushing on Firia, the daughter of his rival. Naga and her group sat in the booth, talking loudly and drinking. They were underage, but that didn't matter in here. Various other people were scattered about the room, making drug deals, finding hope in the bottom of a mug, the usual stuff. Rezz watched all this, kind of. He was blind, but he could see better then anyone else when it came to the important things.   
  
The door opened, Dilgear tensed and stood. A tall scraggly man with wild red hair entered with a young boy around the age of eight or so. Dil relaxed and sat down, "Hey Gaav."   
  
"Hey"   
  
"Afternoon Phiz, how're you doing?" Dil's almost wolfish appearance would scare any child. Any child, that is, except Phibrezo. Phibrezo, called The Little Hellmaster by the people that knew him, looked up at Dil and smiled. Usually a child's smile is innocent, but Phiz' had dark menace lying underneath the soft, young face. Phib grew up in The Slave, another one of societies garbage, thrown in the gutter and covered up best it could be.   
  
"I'm fine, Dilgear."   
  
Gaav smacked the boy upside the head, hard. "You watch your manners, boy! You give Mr. Dilgear some respect, hear me?"   
  
Phiz' hands shook, "Yes father"   
  
Dilgear didn't think Gaav needed to hit the boy quite so hard, but he certainly wasn't one to discuss parenting tactics with Gaav. He didn't even know if he had any kids, and if he did, he certainly wouldn't've kept 'em, "Now, Hellmaster, how have things been with you? Haven't seen you around here in a while."   
  
"Everything's good, Mr. Dilgear, nothings been going on with me lately."   
  
Ah, so the boy was already learning. Never tell someone your plans, no matter how abstract or unimportant they might seem to be. Gaav looked at the boy, "Boy, go off and leave me to talk to Dilgear."   
  
"Yes father"   
  
This was what it was like all the time. Rezz almost smiled. If only these people knew what he knew, things wouldn't be quite so peaceful. But, then again, he was just the bartender. No need for him to get involved. Besides, he sensed things would get very interesting, very soon.   



	4. People get recognized

Xelloss snickered to himself. ISo/i, he thought, IZelgadiss seems to be normal, but I wonder where the others are? Oh well, might as well have all the fun I can!/i He smiled at the fat grandmother as he walked by, making a face in Zelgadiss' direction, "Some people, they just don't care about the children!"   
  
The lady glared, "You shut up, priest-boy! I seen you harassing little Mikey before. I just didn't say nothin' cause I's is a strong believer in God, and I know you're gonna burn even hotter 'n him when you go to hell. Your supposed to be a man of god, and I see you harassing little boys. Jeeze, what's this world coming to...."   
  
Sweatdrop. Xelloss was pondering whether or not to enlighten her on his actual standing among the gods and mazoku when he remembered Zelgadiss, "Well, um, alright then!"   
  
Zel was almost out of the park. Oh, wouldn't it be fun to freak that lady out? Xel tried to teleport. Nothing happened. He tried again with the same result, "Oh my," he muttered to himself, "This is quite a twist. I'll have to adapt to the lack of magick here, wherever we are..." He ran to catch up with the ex-chimera. That was something else, Zel was human. It made sense when thought out. If Xel's magick didn't work, then it's only natural that Zel would be human. Zel's form was held together by magick, such complex magick that it could not hope to be undone by anything but the most powerful of spells. Xel chuckled. The easiest cure was simply take away the magick. If it doesn't exist, it can't affect you. Then again, that's easier said then done.   
  
Xelloss then had a rather unnerving thought. Demon's were beings made from the human's mind and magick. If he had no magick, that meant in this world he was nothing more then a human. And not a very strong one at that! That meant, if Zelgadiss - or anyone else, for that matter - tried anything, he'd be virtually powerless to stop it.   
  
Zelgadiss, hearing footsteps behind him, turned. He almost couldn't believe who he saw. He frowned, "Xelloss"   
  
Xel caught up, taking a moment to catch his breath Idamn, I suppose demon's magick don't exist here either. What a crappy-ass world./i "Oh, Zelgadiss! You're human again, yet you still have a heart of stone!" He mocked tears.   
  
Zel took a step towards him, his hands balling into fists, "Alright Xelloss, I know your behind this! Where the hell am I? What's going on, and where's Lina?"   
  
"Truthfully? I don't know"   
  
"Liar!"   
  
"There's where your wrong. I never lie."   
  
"You tell half truths, and twist things around to suit yourself. That's still lying."   
  
"Let's not discuss my moral values here. First we must find the others."   
  
"Do you know where they are?"   
  
"No"   
  
"Do you know where they might be?"   
  
"No"   
  
"Do you have any clue if they're even close by?!"   
  
"Not even a notion."   
  
"Well, useless, what do you know?"   
  
"That is a secret."   
  
Zelgadiss continued out of the park, dragging Xelloss by the collar. Xel was actually quite uncomfortable. He didn't like this idea of 'pain', it had been so long since it affected him he forgot how unpleasant it was.   
  
~~  
  
IAh, the end of the day. Finally, /iLina thought, IAnd no homework's a plus. I can get some heavy reading in tonight. Maybe Amelia and I could do something this weekend.../i Lina had been reading into mock-nonfictional fantasy. Books about magick and such. She enjoyed it quite a bit.   
  
She met up with Amelia and together they waved by to friends and headed to Lina's house. Everyone knew who Lina was, but she wasn't popular. In fact, most people avoided Lina if they could. She wasn't 'bad' per sei. She didn't get into the things Naga and them did. Sure, she'd been in more then her fair share of fights, always the victor. And the property damage was enough to shake a stick at, but she wasn't in trouble with anything more important then some pugnacious teachers and her parents at times. Her older sister was the biggest problem. Lina and her just didn't get along very well. Luna always seemed to know what Lina was up to, no matter how sneaky Lina was.....   
  
"Uhhh, hey Lina!"   
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by Gourry, who caught up to her and Amelia quickly and walked beside them. Lina nodded, "Gourry. S'up?"   
  
"Umm, I was wondering if maybe you and Amelia wanted to hang out with me tonight. If you don't want to, that's okay too, I suppose...."   
  
"Well, actually, I...."   
  
"We'd love to." Amelia grinned and winked at Lina.   
  
"Cool," Gourry said, then his stomach let out a huge snarl, he blushed and grinned, "Heh, sorry 'bout that, I always get hungry after school."   
  
"Me too," Lina giggled, "why don't you come over for a bit?"   
  
"Umm, sure!"   
  
The three walked together through the park, chatting aimlessly about which teachers they hated, how every teacher had a very difficult job giving people an education, and asking who the teacher in question was again. A normal, Friday afternoon conversation by anyone's standards.   
  
Amelia looked up, "Uhhh, Lina? We've got some creepy guys at three o' clock." she said softly, not wanting the guys in question to overhear.   
  
"Don't worry about it. They're probably just heading down to The Slave...."   
  
"Actually, it's three forty-seven."   
  
Smack. "Gourry! UGH! Your such an idiot!" .....Lina blushed, "Sorry 'bout that." Amelia giggled.   
  
~~  
  
Zelgadiss stopped and let go of Xelloss, "Did you hear that?"   
  
Xel straightened his cloak and regained his composure, "Y'know, you really should learn to control you're.....Hear what?"   
  
Zel turned to face him, a look of half-hope, half-suspicion in his eyes, "I thought I heard Lina......"   
  
"...Ouch! Lina! What was that for??"   
  
"Jeeze! I said I was sorry!"   
  
"Hey, you guys, don't fight."   
  
Zel and Xelloss looked to the other end of the park. There were Lina, Gourry, and Amelia. Talking and acting as if all were normal, "Where're their regular clothes?" Xel wondered. Zelgadiss was already running towards the trio.   
  



	5. Conflict

Amelia was getting scared, "Lina, they're coming over here...."   
  
Lina looked up. The two strange guys were, in fact, walking over to them. It looked almost like the taller of the two was looking straight at her, "Amelia, don't worry about, they won't bug us...." IIf they know what's good for them,/i she thought.   
  
Obviously, they Ididn't/i know what was good for them. Zelgadiss reached Lina and embraced her before he realized what he was doing, "Lina!"   
  
Not surprisingly, Lina pushed him away, "Ack! Getoffame!"   
  
Zel blushed, and looked Lina up and down. He then looked to Amelia, then Gourry, "Umm, Guys? Where'd you get those clothes?"   
  
Amelia freaked, "Look mister! I don't know who you are, but you'd better leave Lina alone if you know what's good for you!"   
  
Sweatdrop, "Eh, heh heh, Amelia? Are you feeling okay? It's me, Zelgadiss," this wasn't working, "Zelgadiss Greywords? "   
  
Amelia was getting worried. This freak knew her name, "Umm...."   
  
Gourry took over. He stepped forward defensively, "Lina? Amelia? Is this guy bugging you?"   
  
"What was your first clue?!"   
  
It was then that Xelloss finally caught up to the group, "Ah, Gourry. Always the protective swordsman. Though you lack a sword." He snickered.   
  
This caught Gourry off guard. Weirdos he could deal with, but this was something entirely new, "Swordsman? Look buddy, I don't know about freak-boy there...." He gestured at Zelgadiss, "But I'm sure not some wack-o swordsman."   
  
Amelia looked at the strange man, dressed in priest's garbs, "Father? I'm a strong believer in god, but I don't know why a priest, even a strange one like yourself, would keep such company! I surely don't...."   
  
Xel snorted, "Princess, please. It wasn't my choice to keep company with Stone-Boy here. It was Lina who met him first. Besides, don't you think calling your crush weird right to his face is very tactful? You're royalty, Amelia, you should have more manners then Ithat./i"   
  
Zel blushed, Amelia was taken aback, "P-Princess....?" Something inside Amelia's head told her this was Inot/i right, "You listen to me, sir! I don't care if you Iare/i a priest, I don't want you accusing me of knowing weirdos. And most of all, I don't appreciate your pet-names! You're a man of god! And yet you're a pedophile!"   
  
Lina, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, "Alright, powder-puffs. You'd better leave, now. I don't want to have to get violent. ..." She rolled up a sleeve.   
  
Xelloss opened one eye, ICould Lina still have her magick?/i He smiled, "Please do. It would be interesting to see how the Dragon Slave would affect this world. So many people packed so close together....Hmm, makes for pain and despair all around. His smile deepened.   
  
Lina blinked, "What? The Dragon Slave? You guys Iare/i from the bar! Did Naga send you? What does that little witch want now?"   
  
Now it was Zel's turn to blink, "A bar? Lina, don't you remember? What's happened to you? Oh, Lina...."   
  
He moved to do.....something, but remembered Lina's current attitude towards him.   
  
Amelia, always the trusting one, looked at Xelloss, "Well, if you guys aren't from the bar, then why are you here? And why do you care about us?"   
  
Xelloss told them the least upsetting parts of the story. Hey, he might be a trickster priest, but right now, without his magick and in a strange world that Lina seemed accustomed to, he decided it might be best to use something he rarely had time for....tact, "Well......."   



	6. Prologue (It's supposed to go here)

Tossing and turning, Lina sighed heavily. She was so tired, but couldn't sleep. The old book was keeping her up. She couldn't detect any magick coming from it, but she knew it was the cause of her insomnia. One would think the book was just an old bible from some religion long forgotten. Everyone had looked at her strangely when she took it from the ruined temple ((another false lead to the whereabouts of the Clair Bible)), though Gourry had been the only one to voice his thoughts. She whacked him on the head and told him to mind his own business. The truth was, even she didn't know why she grabbed it.   
  
Well, she might as well just skim through and discard it. Even a slim book like that could become a nuisance. She grabbed the book from the night stand and cast a small light spell. Propping her back against the headboard, she examined the book. "Claudications of the Space-Time Continuum, it's Relation to Einstein's Theory of Relativity, and it's Effects on the (V)agick of Today's World." She quirked an eyebrow, oh, this will be fun. However, when she opened the book, the writing seemed illuminated from the back. It was written in the long, elegant handwriting of one practiced in copying scrolls. She sighed, and almost yawned, then began to read...........   
  
  
~  
BTHE BOOK /b  
  
I  
Imagine, if you will, a ball. It could be a marble, a bead, even a child's plaything. Imagine this ball generating thousands upon thousands of smaller balls. For every aspect, every molecule of the balls surface, another ball was created. See these smaller balls growing and spawning balls of their own. Now see, if you can, these balls not as spheres, but as a thing without shape, without substance. Only things with infinite sides, spawning more of these 'smaller' insubstantial shapes. Each shape growing at it's own rate. So made are the makings of this universe.   
  
To keep with the metaphor, take two balls, both of equal height and weight, with the same number of smaller balls around them, always growing and changing. When looked at from far away, these groups of balls look to be the same, one a copy of the other. But on closer examination, we see minute differences in each. Perhaps a fault in one, not in the other, or a place worn away.....These are the two major planes of reality. If one examined not the surface of these balls, but the inside, they would see two cores, so complex and different in their own way that one almost couldn't think they were once the same. But yet so similar that it could strike one dumbfounded. One world with magick, the other without.   
  
It is true these worlds were once the same. Then one of the small balls eventually grew, become power in it's own. It is not known which is the original world, which the copy. Perhaps both are the original, maybe two balls were spawned, perhaps the original was destroyed long ago.....We were not meant to know these things, none of us. The only person that would know this would be the divine power that created us all. When we talk to him we'll tell you.   
  
Now then, imagine, upon closer inspection, you see these two balls, sitting beside each other, are worn away so thin in a place that you can see the core through the material that keeps these balls from deflating. If these balls are uneven, they will roll towards each other. What if these 'walls' were so thin, the balls might meet each other, and join together, once again forming one world. This is what's happening, been happening since the beginning of time. Slowly in the age we think of, but way too fast for the comfort of even the Gods and Mazoku........   
  
This tome has been written at a time when even the most primitive of knowledge about this situation is laughable, at best. I have been empowered by something else, something so full of authority my mind is screaming at this celestial being to leave forever, but embrace me with it's power. I write not with my mind. My hands are only weak and pitiful tools that must be used by this thing. Truly this is an encounter by God. Not any Christian god, or even someone as supreme as the Lord of Nightmares. This being has created L-Sama, and others like her. Even her life is merely a short breath in his time........   
  
If you read this now, it means the time is short. The danger is near. Soon, these two worlds will collide in an unstable implosion. Two will become one. One so huge and explosive it could mean the end of everything. Not just one or two worlds gone, but everything. Even the being who writes through me will be destroyed. You, reading this, you are Chosen. You are the one that will fight for everything. Not your friends, your family, even your entire planet. You've already done that. Bear in mind you fight for everything and everyone. The macrocosm that is the entirety. Perhaps, perhaps what you fight for is actually just another small ball, growing slowly, but destroyed as easily as we destroy a toy that gets to old, a flower too wilted. But keep in mind, Chosen, would you be willing to deny your path just because it might not be the end of all? No matter what we are in the plan of things, we cannot give up without a fight.   
  
When the worlds collide, things will be surreal. People that shouldn't be alive are. Things that shouldn't exist will. Situations that shouldn't occur happen. It will go against everything in your soul. Every fibre you have will burn with the feeling that things aren't what their supposed to be. It will be..... wrong.   
  
This battle will be the greatest ever known to anyone. But it will be the hardest, most confusing thing you will ever have to do. You, Lina Inverse, you are the Chosen. And you may not even know it until it is too late. The date is Articus 12, 6th year of Cepheid, the 3rd day in the celebration of the stars. It is the year 456 AD. I am merely a pawn, my name may not be given out lest it change you from your course. In the name of all things, I bid you Good Luck, Chosen. /i  
  
  
~  
She realized tears were streaming down her face, hitting the yellowed paper and steaming, as if the sacred document could not be touched by anything of this realm. Lookig out the window, she realized it was almost light. She stood and walked to the door, story in hand, and was about to tell the others when her whole being was hit with a wave of energy......The alarm clock rang in her ears.   
  



	7. Revelations

Amelia's eyes were wide with disbelief. Lina was skeptical. Gourry was scratching his head.   
  
"Y-You mean, II/i was a princess??"   
  
"Umm, and II/i was a mer-cen-air-eee?"   
  
"And I was a feisty little sorceress," she quirked a brow, "Destroying Dark Lords and basically getting myself into trouble with everything and everyone?"   
  
Xel smiled, "Basically, yep!"   
  
Zelgadiss frowned. IDammit!/i He Iknew/i they wouldn't believe a word of it. And, amazingly enough, the Trickster priest had actually told almost the whole truth! This was not going to work...... "Look, I know it sounds kind of strange, but....."   
  
Lina laughed, short and quick, almost a bark, "Kind of? Buddy, you have got to lay off on the liquor. But I'll give you this," She patted him on the shoulder, making him blush slightly at the touch, "You may be drunk, but your creative. If that tale wasn't so stupid I might be able to believe it. Man, you should be in politics......."   
  
"But it's true," Zel couldn't keep a slight whining tone from his voice.   
  
"Sure," Amelia scoffed, "And I'm the queen of England!"   
  
"Actually, you're the princess of Seyruun....."   
  
"Mister, don't get smart with me, or my dad'll......"   
  
"Oh? I what do you think Prince Philionel could do to me? My master holds at least six times as much power as he does, plus she's not afraid to get her hands dirty....."   
  
"P-prince?"   
  
"Master? Hmm, kinky........"   
  
Xel glared at Gourry, amethyst eyes open and burning, "Insult my master again you'll have no tongue to spew garbage with, mercenary!"   
  
Lina stepped between the two warring parties, "Hey! You," she pointed at Gourry, "Back off on the crazy guy. And you," She whirled to Xelloss, "Take your weird little friend and get your ass back to The Slave......"   
  
"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO! Did my little buddy Lina say she was going to go down to The Slave? And she wasn't going to invite the Serpent??"   
  
Sweatdrop, "Naga, go away."   
  
The scantily clad bar-goer just grinned and hugged Lina between her massive chests, "Now, now Lina, I'm sure you were just on your way to my house to get me to come with you," She flexed her breast muscles, "Isn't that right?"   
  
Lina paled, "No! I was going home, really!"   
  
It was then that Naga spotted Zelgadiss and Xelloss. She moved beside a rather stunned Gourry, putting a friendly arm around him while giving him a more then ample view of her womanhood. She cracked her gum and examined the two, "So, you finally picked up some men," her eyes trailed over Zelgadiss, going lower, lower, lower........She grinned, "Damn, Lina. They may be dressed weird, but Ithat/i one's got what it takes....."   
  
Zelgadiss blushed profusely and tried to cover himself any way he could. Xel giggled. Naga, forgetting about Gourry for the time being, slinked to Zelgadiss, who stiffened ((AN: *whack* IHENTAI/i)). She trailed a hand from his forehead, down the side of his cheek, across his chest, around his stomach, and pinched his ass. Her voice was an errotic growl, "You don't want the flat kid. If you want a real woman," She moved her face closer, blowing slightly in his ear, a move which made poor little Zel blush even harder and flinch, "Come down to The Slave, I'll show you a real fun time......." Xel cackled.   
  
Naga was then clobbered into the dirt by Lina, "What the hell are you doing?! I don't even know these guys! Now your going to scare them off......." IWait a second/i "Uhhh, I mean, continue what your doing. Heh." She helped the serpent to het feet and brush off what little clothes she had that Lina felt comfortable touching.   
  
"Humph, I get the picture Lina, there Iyours/i, hands off, right?"   
  
"Naga....."   
  
"Fine, I can respect that. You should come down to The Slave later, that's where I'll be." She pushed past Gourry and threw Amelia to the ground, hard, "Rich bitch." With that Naga was gone, walking back through the park.   
  
Amelia held back tears. It really hurt, and it really made her mad. Why didn't Naga like her? She's never done anything to.....   
  
Zelgadiss took her hands and helped her to her feet. They stood for a second, looking at each other. IThere's something so familiar about his touch,/i Amelia thought, IAs if this has happened before.../i He half-smiled at her, and mouthed a word, something like "Ra-Tilt" or "My Belt" or something. There was a tingle in the back of her mind. She then realized he was a weirdo and pulled away from him.   
  
Lina rubbed the back of her neck, "Uh, sorry about that. Naga's a bit...out of it, I suppose you'd say. But, umm, we have to go now. Isn't that right, guys?"   
  
Gourry and Amelia nodded quickly and started inching wound the other two. Line chuckled and turned, walking away.   
  
Zel ran in front of her, "Wait, let me.... Ius/i come with you. We have no place to stay and need to figure out what's going on here."   
  
Lina's jaw dropped, "Let me get this straight. IYou/i, want to come to Imy/i house? And you expect me to let in? Umm, let me think about that for a second. Hmm, let's see, let's see, thinking, thinking, thin...NO!"   
  
Zel rubbed the bridge of his nose. IHow/i could he get her to understand....   
  
Xelloss was getting nervous. They obviously didn't believe their pasts. Then again......He smirked. Perhaps he was being too general before. He moved close to Zelgadiss, and spoke quietly, but loud enough so Lina could hear, "Hey, Rocky, maybe you could spark a memory....remind her of something that happened....."   
  
Zel couldn't help flinching when Xel got close. Even here, the bastard made his skin itch. But he did have a point........   
  
"Lina," He took a step towards her, she took a step back.   
  
Gourry made a defensive stance and Amelia put her hand to her mouth, somewhat afraid.....but also attracted to this weird guy... IWhat am I thinking?? /i  
  
Getting the point, Zel tried to look as least threatening as possible, "Lina, Tell me, does anything I say strike a memory? Maybe something that's been suppressed?"   
  
"What? You're my psychiatrist now?"   
  
"Psy-chee-ah-what?"   
  
Ignoring the quip, Zelgadiss continued, "My Grandfather, Rezo. He was a blind man, a great mage. Perhaps Ithe/i most powerful mage on earth. H-he....." Damn, even after so long, it hurt to talk about it, "He turned me into a chimera. Part golem, part human, part...." He spat, "Demon. You were stealing from bandits......"   
  
Maybe that's a little too Imuch/i detail....Xel decided to speed things up, and shoved Xel aside, continuing the story, "You stole a really ugly statue that actually had a really powerful rock in it. Zel here kidnapped you, and let you get your head slobbered on by a giant fish. Then he escaped with you 'cause he found out dear old gramps was out of his gods-damned mind. He threw you into a tree, burned your food, blasted you with a spell when you tried to help him, and kept ditching you off. But he actually had a crush on you," Xel made little kissy-kissy motions with his face, "And he wanted to have hot, steamy, kinky, dirty Se....."   
  
"Liar!"   
  
"But Zel..." Xel was whining now, "I was just making the story better....."   
  
Zel mumbled to himself, "Enigmatic bastard......"   
  
Gourry was completely lost, as was Amelia. Lina was just as confused, but as the two told the story, something tugged at her, some memory, taunting her mind. She reached for it, but it retreated just out of reach again. IDamn, what is it that's so familiar about all this. These guys are just freaks.....But how come I'm not afraid of them, then. Sure, that priest, if he even is one, makes me nervous, only I don't think he'd hurt me. And that other guy.....He's the weirdest, but he's the most familiar. Like a brother, or an old boyfriend... She blushed at her own thoughts, He is cute though.....NO! He's BNOT/b cute, he's a psycho. Damn, now all I have to do is convince myself that's true.../i  
  
She cleared her throat self consciously, and couldn't help from keeping a slight waver from her voice, "This Rezo guy..." Rezo.....Why was that so familiar, "What did you....I do to him..."   
  
Zel stared at her like she had just grown Naga-sized breasts, "Y-you killed him Lina....You completely destroyed him with the most powerful known spell in existence. The Giga Slave....."   
  
"G-giga Slave?" She was getting nervous now. The memory danced in front of her, so close she could see it for a second before it whirled away, only to bombard her again.   
  
Zelgadiss nodded, it looked like he may finally be getting through to her, "Yes, the Giga Slave. It channels power from the Lord of Nightmares herself. You saved the world Lina...."   
  
She looked at him, tears making her eyes shine, "But I could have destroyed it...."   
  
That made everyone pay attention. Xelloss smiled, she seemed to be making progress. Zel looked at her sympathetically. "Yes, that's true, you could have. Lina, what do you remember?"   
  
Lina Inverse looked away, "I remember the feelings. I had the Sword....the light sword....Gourry had given it to me. I felt fear, nervousness, it was my last hope.....I spoke the words...Darkness beyond blackest Pitch, deeper then the deepest night......The sword's power went into me...elation, happiness.....Gourry." Sweat beaded her forehead as she spoke, her voice soft and distant. She tried to bring coherent words to her emotions, tried to make all of them understand, "Then....Darkness, all was lost....I had to make the words right.....Let the fools who stand before me destroyed by the power you and I possess........the sword became unstable, wanting to throw the energy into oblivion....I had to make the words right....keep my thoughts on my goal....another presence.....Rezo....He gave his life for the world...." Tears fell freely now, making small wet dots on her shirt, and beading on the grass like an early dew, "Sword accept this darkness and obey my command....Power, darkness, light.......an explosion.....An honour given to me by Ruby-eye.....His death.....then.....Relief, exhaustion......chaos......" She then fell to the ground, unconscious. 


	8. Look! Even -more- biases!

Blinks were shared all around as the group stared at the still body. Xelloss, being the ever observant one, stated in a manner of fact tone, "Well, she's passed out."   
  
Zelgadiss glared, pushing a wisp of, now soft, lavender hair from his face, "Of course she's passed out, fool!" He glanced down at her still body. The lithe frame relaxed in an unnerving way, "Lina....." He turned to Amelia, "We need to get her somewhere, out of the sun..."   
  
Amelia backed a step. She didn't think Lina would want these people around her, but..."Her house. I know where it is. Not far."   
  
Nodding, Xelloss examined the situation, "Someone will have to carry her." Again, matter-of-factly.   
  
All eyes turned to Gourry, who stared back a moment before realization dawned on him, and he retreated, waving his arms frantically, "Nuh-uh, no way. I may not be in the honors, but I definately know I'm not doing THAT."   
  
Xelloss quirked a brow, "Come now, swordsman, your definitely strong enough, and..."   
  
Gourry met his confusion with a cool stare, "She could charge me, I could get sued. And I'm not a swordsman."   
  
"Charge you? She's unconscious, for the Gods' sake!"   
  
"Look buddy, you know what I mean...."   
  
"Hmm, it appears that the opposite sexes are not allowed to approach each other without consequence in this world...."   
  
"It's not that...Just, well, we're not going out or anything..."   
  
"Oh? So if your not 'going out' with someone, they can charge you?"   
  
"Yup."   
  
"Does it hurt?"   
  
"..."   
  
"I see....Hey, Zel!"   
  
"I'm standing right here, you don't have to yell."   
  
"But it's so much more fun!"   
  
"Grr..."   
  
"Heh, anyways...Looks like you're gonna have to carry her."   
  
"ME?! Why me?!"   
  
"Because she can't charge you?"   
  
"And why the hell not?"   
  
"Because your not from this world."   
  
"But I'm in it!"   
  
"Technically, you're not."   
  
"Yes I am!"   
  
"Not totally. It seems that only your mind is in this world. Not your body. Which explains why your not a rockboy."   
  
"I should kill you..."   
  
"I'll charge you."   
  
"You just said you can't!"   
  
"No I didn't"   
  
"You did!"   
  
"Mayhaps we should discuss this Iafter/i we get her away from her."   
  
"I hate you..."   
  
"I know."   
  
Zel gulped, and knelt beside Lina. Brushing a stray strand of hair from her face, he picked her up as gently as he could. Even without his chimeric strength, she weighed almost nothing in his arms. Amelia watched Zelgadiss hold Lina so gently, and imagined his arms holding her...She jumped when he turned to her, "Where's her home?"   
  
Oh... "J-just this way..." Amelia led the little procession, conscious all the while of the peering eyes. Oooohhhh, what if someone told her father...   
  
"What's on your mind, little princess?"   
  
She jumped, "Eah! N-nothing...I'm not a princess..."   
  
"Not in this world..."   
  
She looked at him over her shoulder, "Alright, I admit I still don't know what going on, but I want you to tell me everything you know about me...Or, I mean, this Iother/i me, that's your convinced actually is Ime/i me, when it's just...uh.."   
  
Xel winked at her, "But of course, princess. Hmm, let's see, you're the daughter of the crowned prince Philionel De Seyruun..."   
  
Amelia listened to what he said, as he described her. It was odd, the description was right, though slightly exaggerated. Some stuff, though, was just strange. Her, a master of white magic? Protector of justice? Hmm....   
  
Gourry walked in the middle of the group, alone. He kept making quick glances over his shoulder until he caught Zel glaring at him. Yeesh. Weirdos, both of them...Poor Lina...   
  
Zelgadiss had long fallen to the back, the added weight, though not much of a burden, slowing him somewhat. Lina stirred, and snuggled deeper into his arms. At first he stiffened, but soon relaxed and allowed her warmth to warm his arms and his heart.   
  
Lina swam in a void. From the darkness, tendrils leapt at her, darkness within darkness. They writhed in front of her, hypnotically daring her to be caught by them, wanting to drag her to the deeper oblivion. Great arms surrounded her, giving her warmth in a gentle embrace. Not quite aware, she let herself be hugged, falling into those arms. A voice spoke in her head, strangely distant, but familiar at all the same time. "Little one," it said, "Little fire that warms my heart. I cry for you. Now you see me as any other. Please, accept me. I need your love, your respect, when my time of need comes. Lina inverse, I love you. But...You could never love a monster like I...Come back to me..." The voice was sad, but encouraging. She fought for the surface of consciousness, wanting to see the light and the one who cared for her.   
  
She stirred in his arms. Zel looks down, tightening his grip slightly so as not to drop her. Moving her head away from his shoulder, Ruby eyes blinked at him, unfocused, "Zel...?"   
  
He nodded, "It's I. Are you alright?"   
  
"I-I accept you, now and always..."   
  
She drifted off again. This time into sleep, not unconsciousness. Zel bit down a gasp of surprise. How could she know? Did she remember? No...She must just be delusional. But what did those words mean? Did she...?   
  
"Zelgadiss? We're here..." His thoughts were interrupted by Amelia, who stood at the front of a house, looking at him strangely, "T-this is Lina's house. I'll open the door and you bring her inside."   
  
He nodded, following the retreating form into the odd looking home...   



	9. Zel and Xel learn the joys of modern tec...

Zel stood in the doorway, looking around him. It was obvious it was a house, though it was like nothing he'd ever seen before. Removing her shoes, Amelia gave him and the others a quick glance, weighing things out in her mind, before shrugging, "Follow me..."   
  
She led Zel down a small hallway and into the living room, gesturing to a couch. Gently, he set her down, folding her arms across her stomach so she wouldn't fall off. Gourry shuddered, she looked almost dead like that....   
  
Zel took a seat in the overstuffed chair beside the couch, watching her intently. Amelia took the other chair, and Gourry sat on the loveseat. Seeing a good oppertunity, Xel draped himself across the student, purring softly, "You know, I could get used to this...." Gourry threw him off, grunting, and he pouted, "I see your vocabulary hasn't changed..."   
  
They sat. And sat, and sat some more. A not-completely comfortable silence filled the room. Amelia fidgited, "Uhh...Can I get you guys anything? I mean, this isn't really my house, and I'm sure Lina wouldn't mind. Well, she would, but, this is, well, kind of...." She bit her lip.   
  
Zelgadiss, drawn somewhat out of his reverie, turned his gaze to her, "Coffee would be nice..."   
  
Amelia nodded, standing, "Anything else? Gourry?"   
  
"I'll have pop, please...And a snack!"   
  
"Xe - er, Mister Xelloss?"   
  
"I'll have what Gourry's having....pop...hee hee...pop...."   
  
"Umm.....right..."   
  
Amelia left, though a little more quickly than she normally would have. And she also took her time getting everyone's stuff. She re-entered holding a plate of nachos and cheese, putting them on the little table. Handing Xel and Gourry each a glass of Coke, and zel a mug, she sat down, nursing her own glass of milk. Zel took his drink giving a small mutter of thanks, and took a swallow. His face twisted and he resisted the urge to spit it out, "Umm, Amelia?"   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"What kind of coffee is this?"   
  
She blinked, a small blush painting her cheeks, "Decafe...I-it's all Lina has...."   
  
Sighing, Zel rummaged around in his pouch, removing a small bag of coffee beans, "May I?"   
  
"Uhhh....Yeah. The grinders beside the microwave, and you may have to change the filter...."   
  
He raised an eyebrow, confusion getting the better of his independence, "Perhaps you should show me..."   
  
Nodding, she stood and led the strange man into the kitchen, blush still fully in place. Why was she blushing? Well, it's not like he isn't attractive, but...uhh...damn, this was gonna be a long day...   
  
  
Above the soft clatter of dishes, and the whir of the coffee grinder, Xel grinned, inching his way ever closer to Gourry, who was a little preoccupied with the snack, "So....this is pop?" He ventured, holding the glass.   
  
"Yep..." Gourry took a swallow of his drink, swooshing it around a bit before swallowing, "Coke, tastes like..."   
  
"Coke..." Xel took a swig of his own pop, and nearly sputtered it right back out a again. Gulping, he rubbed his eye a bit, resisting the urge to cough, "It burns..."   
  
"Yeah! Ain't it great?" Gourry downed the rest of his glass, 'ahh'ing loudly, and burping. Xel made a face.   
  
"MmmHhmm...." He rolled his eyes, picking at a loose thread in the sofa. His eyes ventured towards Lina, who was still lying there like one dead. What if she didn't wake up...? No, don't think about that...   
  
Wait. As he watched, he saw here eyelids flutter, and she stirred slightly. Ruby eyes opened slowly, slightly clouded with confusion. She mouthed the word 'Zelgadiss', blinked, and sat up, holding a hand to her head. Phew....   
  
  
Zel was just about done in the kitchen, amazed at all the strange devices it held for heating, freezing, cooking, cooling, and just about everything else. He eyes the coffee maker with a twinge of jealousy...He wished he had one...   
  
He had just finished pouring himself a glass when he heard Gourry gasp. Without sparing a backword glance, he bolted to the den, Amelia on his heels.   
  
Zelgadiss ran into the room, Amelia not far behind him. Lina looked up, her mouth forming a small 'o' of surprise as she recognized Zel. However, as she got her bearings, and notices Xelloss, the 'o' quickly turned to a tight line as her lips pursed together and her brow furrowed. A familiar fire ignited in her eyes, "Just what, the HELL, are you two still doing here, and why, the HELL, are you in my house?!" Her voice lowered and a growl worked it's way into her tone, "Amelia..."   
  
The only person in the room who answered to that name blanched, "Uh...I-I brought them here, Lina, not that I w-wanted to, but...You passed out, and Zelgadiss, er...Gourry was going to charge you, but Xelloss didn't, umm, they didn't take off their shoes, and I, coffee....you're not a couple..."   
  
"..."   
  
"Mmmyep."   
  
Zelgadiss sat in the chair he had occupied earlier, wringing his hands nervously. He cleared his throat a few times and finally got the words out, "We needed to get you out of the open, since a group of people standing around an unconscious woman is suspicious in any world. Your...home...was the closest, and Amelia agreed to show us here because she was worried about you..."   
  
"Plus, chimera boy here wanted to carry you, and needed to find a house with a big enough bed for two..."   
  
Both looked away, a blush creeping up Zelgadiss' face at the priest's implications. Lina, after her initial shock, cast a somewhat half hearted glare, "Did you actually carry me all the way here?"   
  
He nodded.   
  
"...Thank you."   
  
"..."   
  
The tension built as the silence continued.   
  
"..."   
  
"Can I watch?"   
  
Gourry, confused as ever, and not quite able to comprehend the perverseness of Xelloss' words, decided that the best thing to do was to ignore him, "So, uh, what are we gonna do?"   
  
Lina crossed her arms and leaned back, "IWe/i, Gourry, aren't going to do Ianything/i! You," she pointed at Xelloss, "And you," to Zelgadiss, "Are going to get out of my house, and out of my life. Now!" But something in her eyes betrayed her uncertainty.   
  
Xelloss' eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, "You can't do that Lina..."   
  
Her hand hovered dangerously close to a strange object, "You wanna try me? I'll call the police..."   
  
Uh-oh, this could be bad, "Look, Lina..."   
  
Her glare transferred to him, but didn't soften.   
  
Zel rubbed a temple, and returned her glare with one of his own, "You really want us out? Completely? Gone forever and ever?"   
  
After a split-second hesitation, she nodded slowly, her glare turning to a sideways look of confusion.   
  
His features didn't change, but he stood, "You mean to tell me that whole spell," he winced at the pun that no one else seemed to catch, "Back there, was nothing more then mere coincidence? That you Inormally/i just mumble incoherent thoughts about the destruction of a Dark Lord and lapse into unconsciousness? Are you saying that you don't give a damn about any of this?" His voice had continually risen, and he raked a hand through his hair, blinked as he realized again that he was human, and collapsed back into the chair, looking totally spent.   
  
She watched him, eyes wide. Thinking back, she relived, as best she could, the flashes of memories and incoherent thought that had been bashed into her brain earlier. Absently, she tugged her ear and then met Zel's eyes, which burned with perplexed intensity. Her hand moved away from the telephone and came to rest back in her lap.   
  
Amelia watched her, "Lina?"   
  
At the mention of her name, she closed her eyes and buried her head in her hands, "Shit. Holy, freaking, bloody, SHIT!" 


	10. A quiet evening and more biases

They had moved into the kitchen, the dining table making it easier for them to plan and giving an heir of officialness to the whole thing. Though the table was round, Lina still seemed to be seated at the head. Her hand moved to rub her temple, and her hand twitched absently, her mind expecting a pen to be there. Finally, after the initial silence, she spoke, "Alright, as much as I hate to admit it, it seems something's gonna have to be done. Otherwise, we'll never get these two away from us." She cast a glare to the intruders-that-weren't-really-intruders-but-were-because-technically-uh-dammit....   
  
An odd look had come upon Amelia's face, her voice carrying something of question, something not like her at all, "Lina, you say we, but who do you mean, actually?"   
  
She blinked, an edge creeping into her own voice, "What exactly are you implying?"   
  
"Nothing much." She shrugged, but her tone belied her words, "Just that it seems Gourry and I have been included in something we didn't consent to..."   
  
Zelgadiss cast her a cool glare, unsoftened by his human face, "No one's asking you to stay, Amelia."   
  
It was now Amelia's turn to be confused, "But, I..."   
  
Hmm. As much as he hated to do it, Xelloss took Zelgadiss' side, "He's right, princess. You can leave any time you want to. Though I'll admit you, or some semblance thereof, have been a help to us in the past, it doesn't mean we'll force you into something unwilling. Just why Ido/i you stay?"   
  
"Because...Because Lina's my friend, and I don't want you two freaks pulling anything on her!" She felt as if she were on trail.   
  
"If she's such a friend, why urge her against this? Something that could well be even more dangerous if left alone."   
  
"Why should we believe you? For all we know, you're just two criminals ready to rob her blind!"   
  
Xel chuckled darkly, a decidedly un-friendly look making his violet eyes shine, "Even in a different world you still look for enemies that aren't there, eh, little princess?"   
  
"Stop calling me that!"   
  
"Go on, then, run home and do your duty as a princess and a daughter. You're father would want it that way, and we couldn't have daddy being upset, now could we?"   
  
The tension was building again, dark undercurrents lancing through the air invisibly. Lina got a hard look in her eye and Gourry stood, Amelia gasping for breath like a fish out of water for some reason, the water she was lacking quickly building in her eyes. She decided then and there was something about the purple-eyes man, something dark and inconceivable she couldn't quite place. Even Zelgadiss looked slightly surprised at the coldness in the once-priest's voice.   
  
"Xelloss!" Lina?s voice was half astonishment, half growl.   
  
"You want to say that again to me, man, instead of a little girl?" Gourry had taken his stance, ready to beat the man senseless should he be asked to. Ever the protector...   
  
"No, Gourry..." Amelia's voice was eerily calm, her face now settled into a cool glower to rival Zel's own. She had seen Naga superimposed over Xelloss, but the words were the same. She straightened her shoulders, taking on a positively royal position, even though she herself couldn't see it. Even her voice befitted a princess...No, a queen, "I do Inot/i follow my father's wishes, only my own. I'm coming."   
  
Zelgadiss, though he sighed inwardly in relief, was still unsure as to whether the girl would feel the same later on, "Amelia, are you sure....?"   
  
She flashed him a warm smile, making a victory sign, "Don't worry, Mr. Zelgadiss, I'll be fine..."   
  
Blush, "I wasn't exactly worrying..."   
  
Gourry sat back down, confused as to the sudden conclusion of the argument, though he still kept his gaze on Xelloss. Said man merely smirked, as Lina once again took control, "Well, now that Ithat's/i dealt with..."   
  
"A-HEM!"   
  
"Geese, sorry Ame...Gourry, are you gonna get down on this?"   
  
"Huh?"   
  
Sweatdrop, "Are you gonna come along? I'd like you to, but..."   
  
He blinked in that way only football players and their cheerleading counterparts can, "Was I ever Inot/i coming, Lina?"   
  
"Ah....nevermind. You satisfied Amelia?"   
  
She nodded.   
  
"Good then...Er, Ianyways/i I guess the best question is what we should do...Any suggestions?"   
  
It was then that Amelia noticed the clock, "Uh, Lina? It's nearly nine..."   
  
Lina and the other's hadn't noticed the time had gone by. Zel glanced outside at the sun, hanging low above the western horizon and moaned softy. Lina sunk into her chair, "We can't really do anything 'till tomorrow, then...Do you two have a place to stay?" She half-dreaded the answer.   
  
"Yes," said Zelgadiss.   
  
"No," said Xelloss.   
  
Zelgadiss blushed.   
  
"Fine then, you guys can stay with me...In the basement," Xel's face fell.   
  
"I'm staying too, Lina!"   
  
"Me too!"   
  
"Amelia, phone you're dad and make sure it's okay. Gourry, you can't."   
  
"Why not?"   
  
"Because, jellyfish, you're a Iboy/i!!"   
  
"Umm....okay....Hey! Wait! They're boys too!"   
  
Rolling her eyes, Lina slumped to the table, "Gourry, just go home, but be here first thing tomorrow morning."   
  
"Okay, Lina...If that's what you want..." He stood, "I should be getting back anyways, mom probably has dinner ready." Brushing coldly past the two, he gave them both a look completely contrast to his stature as he moved out the back door and into the darkened daylight.   
  
Phil had said it would be wonderful for Amelia and Lina to spend the night studying, and many plans were made, though not quite with the school's interests at heart. It was decided that the best place to start would be Rezz' bar, the Dragon Slave, since it seemed familiar to Zel and Xelloss, and since Lina knew all the dark types lurked around there, and the well of information the patrons held was unrivaled.   
  
  
It was an odd night, to say the least. Having two virtual strangers sleeping in her house wasn't exactly a comforting thought, but Amelia and Lina did extremely well under the circumstances.   
  
A stroke of good luck came with a phone call from Lina's sister, Luna. She had stopped by before Lina had come home from school and invited their parents to her boyfriend's house for the dreaded "Parents meet parents" night. Luna had been with Seph Fied for almost two years, and they liked each other quite a bit, though from what Lina could tell, with her minimal little sister connections, they seemed more like extremely close friends than anything sexual. Regardless, the house was her own. She had told her mom that Amelia was spending the night, but said nothing about Zel and Xelloss, since it probably wouldn't have gone over well.   
  
Choosing the safest path she could think of, Lina suggested they watch a movie 'After, that is, insisting the 'boys' keep their weapons, the staff and sword, by the door. Aimlessly grabbing one from the cabinet, she suffered through "Chasing Amy" and the consequential comments arousing form the peanut gallery known as Xelloss. After the first bit, Zelgadiss had decided he'd had enough, and ventured back into the kitchen to see about making them all something to eat and examining the strange devices within. In reality, he just wanted to try the coffee grinder again.   
  
After dealing with the resounding curses for a few moments Amelia, who had had quite enough of the movie and lewd remarks, entered the kitchen to see if she could help. She saw there a rather put-out looking Zelgadiss sucking on his finger, which had been burned by the evil known as the oven. She blushed despite herself, finding this stranger oddly alluring, even after he had spoken to her so tersely. He must have been hurt deeply, to be so cold...Feeling her ears burning even more, she coughed, pushing the thread of thought to the back of her mind.   
  
Zel turned, startled, "Amelia?"   
  
Cough cough again. Geeze, you'd think this girl was a smoker, "I didn't mean to bug you, but I figured you might want some help"   
  
He almost smiled, "That's very kind of you to act towards a stranger, Amelia..."   
  
What? Oh, he wasn't going to put any moves on Iher/i, "Well, I-I also didn't want you to make a mess of Lina's kitchen, or steal her silverware or anything..."   
  
"I see..."   
  
"..."   
  
"..."   
  
There's that cough again, "What are you cooking."   
  
Zelgadiss again ran a human hand through human hair, an unconscious gesture he had had until he was transformed, and now had picked up again without realizing it, "To be honest, I don't know. All this stuff seems, I admit, beyond my ability to understand, though I - " A flash of something akin to realization flashed in his eyes and he mumbled to himself, turning to the stove and examining it as he did so, "Perhaps that's why my magic's stagnant in this world. Hrm..It appears to be nothing more than glass or rock, but it burns anyways, like a heat spell. Perhaps there devices channel the magic through the means of this odd looking plug thing back here and..."   
  
Ri-ight...Weirdo, "Eh-heh...sure. Look, why don't we find something to make. She looked in the contents of the fridge, noting the already thawed steaks, "You like steak?"   
  
"What?"   
  
Oh, please..."Steak, you like it?"   
  
She turned to look upon a raised eyebrow, "What kind of steak?"   
  
"Umm....The kind from cows?"   
  
A sigh of relief escaped his lips, "Yes, that'll be nice. Do you have herbs?"   
  
Removing the meat from the fridge, she could feel herself slipping into the comfortable feeling she had when cooking, and gestured with the vacuum-wrapped package, "In those drawers. I'm not sure what exactly's in there, but there's gotta be something."   
  
Zelgadiss made a non-committal noise when he opened the drawer, picking out this and that, "Are you sure that'll be enough?"   
  
"I beg your pardon?" The spice drawer was more than adequately supplied.   
  
He cast her a glance, "The meat. Will that be enough. Unless Lina's eating habits have changed..."   
  
The creepy feeling crawled at her neck again, though less intense, "Well, she does eat quite a bit, but this should be plenty. Even for her."   
  
"I HEARD THAT!!"   
  
"Oops..."   
  
While Zelgadiss and Amelia went about preparing supper, Lina was getting increasingly uncomfortable. She had placed herself on the couch, wrapping her afghan tight around her shoulders and snuggling into the plush cushions in the perfectly contented movie-watching position. After a few minutes, she looked up and noticed Xelloss seated on the other end of her couch. Hrmph. A few more minutes later and he was right in the middle, shortening the gap between them by half. Again Lina looked away.   
  
A soft sizzling sound was emanating from the kitchen, mixing with the muted voices of the two within conversing. It was then that Lina felt the weight beside her and saw the fruit not six inches away. He glanced at her, rolling his purple eyes towards the kitchen and waggling his eyebrows suggestively. She snorted softly and shook her head, they weren't doing anything. The smell of him so close to her was mingled with the slight tang of herbs and spices from the kitchen, and she was becoming decidedly uncomfortable. She reddened, her face fast becoming the colour of her hair, and she turned to look away.   
  
An ivory hand caught her chin and turned her back to face him, he was leaning towards her with a wry grin on his face and intensely shining eyes while the young man on the television professed his love to the lesbian girl in his SUV. She tried to pull her head back, but Xelloss would not be put off, he readied himself and moved in for the kiss. Hey, maybe this world wasn't so bad after all...   
  
DING!   
  
"Suppertime!" Amelia's voice was the happiest it had ever been since the discovery of the strangers. Not one to waste an opportunity when it arose, she ducked away from a rather surprised ex-priest and made her way to the table, suddenly ravenous as only Lina Inverse could be.   
  
  
~I  
Supper went by uneventfully. A lot of silence, save for gobbling sounds on Lina's end of the table. Sidelong glances and the accidental meeting of eyes was all it was. Why? Well, partly because Lina was fairly uncomfortable about the purple haired man's attentions, and partly because the author was just too damn lazy to think of anything to happen, and is sure that everyone's sick of all this filler. One thing that must be said, though, is that the steak was good, cooked just right, and Chef Zel did wonders with the herbs he had found. So ends the meal and the shortest part of this chapter. /i  
~  
  
They had eaten late, but finding people from an alternate world that you supposedly lived in would keep anyone wired. Xelloss, oddly quiet, had ventured to the cushy chair and sat himself down for a good old fashioned brooding. Amelia was doing her homework, the scratch of pen on paper comforting her in these oh-so-stressful times. Lina and Zelgadiss were seated fairly close to each other. There was a book in Lina's hand that Zel was reading over, and a low conversation was taking place, much to quiet for the others to hear.   
  
The trickster priest studied his steepled hands as he thought. He thought he could have her, get away with that. Well, at least he found out he might have to do things a bit differently to achieve what he wanted, but he was patient. Still, Ihis/i Lina Inverse would have clocked him for even thinking about it. It was indeed odd what was happening. He tried to picture what kind of memories this Lina had, and how it might have altered her. She still seemed basically the same on the outside, but it was hard to tell. This let to the thought of whether this Lina may, in fact, be the real Lina, and they were just visitors from a passing fantasy. As unlikely as this seemed, it was a possibility nonetheless. He then decided he didn't like this train of thought all that much and decided to stop thinking about this. Sadly, even an ex-mazoku's mind works in the same way a human's does in the fact that it does not so easily ignore the things it really should. And so he sat, pondering and speculating, all the while casting his violet gaze between the raven haired princess-yet-not-a-princess and the girl with fire in her eyes and magic in her soul.   
  
Her concentration was mostly on her paper, but not totally. As she attempted to write her report on the genocide of the ancient Ryu Zoku Indians, she found her mind wandering. This wasn't a complete problem, but it did call for excessive white-out on the paper's part. Her mind first wandered through the school day in a feeble attempt to place things. On it traveled to Gourry, which she spent a bit more time than usual on. He had been quick to defend her, but it was probably only because she was Lina's friend. She cast a glance to Xelloss, and could almost swear she saw his own gaze upon he before it slid away, smooth as silk on water, towards Lina. He was fascinating, in an odd sort of way. Her thoughts went ever back to Zelgadiss, and she didn't quite know why. She was scared as all hell of those two. They had come and shattered he own 'somewhat narrow' view of the world, and she had no intention of doing anything they asked or depend on them for anything other than a headache. But she felt she could trust Zel, that she could look into those cold cerulean eyes and see the fire within. She was being silly now, and she knew it, but she was currently having the same problem as our brooding priest over there. She wouldn't trust him as far as she could spit him. But there was no doubt that he was enticing in the dark, dangerous way skydiving off a Boeing could be.   
  
The page crackled as Lina turned it, absently running her fingers over the raised foil letters of the title, "Magic in the Modern World and Ceremonial Dancing" by M.M. and N.N. Zelgadiss read over a few of the lines before snorting to himself. She turned, indignant, "What? You don't like my reading?"   
  
"It's not that, it's just so vague about the important things and goes into too much detail about the stuff it doesn't need to."   
  
Snapping the book shut and tossing it to the floor, Lina crossed her arms and leaned back, "Fine."   
  
"What?"   
  
"Well, Mr. Mage-from-another world?"   
  
"Alternate universe, I think..."   
  
"Whatever. How about you explain to me, then? Since the book is so wrong."   
  
Erm. He didn't quite know where to begin, "Well, for example: Magic is one part interpretation, one part logistics, and eight parts intention."   
  
"S'cuse me?"   
  
"Look, that book is way too specific on dates and festivals and the positions of the moon and symbols and all that. Granted, some spells are more powerful during parts of the year, such as black magic near the autumnal and white near the vernal, but if you're a strong enough mage, it's not that big a deal. Even the incantations aren't necessary if you know the spell and are powerful enough to cast it without."   
  
"And how would you know?"   
  
"Because I saw a powerful mage, perhaps the most powerful magic user in my world, cast a monstrous destruction spell with nothing but the name."   
  
"Who and what?"   
  
"The Dragon Slave, and it was y - Lina Inverse, the one from my world, that cast it."   
  
A small vision of her vanquishing dragons for treasure and burning up bandits bubbled up into her mind. She was interested now, and leaned closer, "What else?"   
  
He proceeded to give her a crash course in magic theory, which included a brief history of the world he had come from. He explained to her, in the simplest terms he could, the nature of magic and feel of it within you. The author would go on, but she knows that most people really don't care.   
  
Time passed, as it has a slight tendency to do, and the group retired. Zel and Xelloss locked tightly in the basement, given sleeping bags and pillows, and Amelia and Lina on the third floor of the house, safely in her room. They had another long day in the works tomorrow, and Lina was snoring almost before her head hit the pillow, despite the nap earlier in the afternoon. Amelia conked a while later, her last thought of her in a glittering gown fit for a princess.   
  



	11. Morning preperations

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The morning dawned bright. A slight frost coated everything in a crystalline shimmer, melting into prismatic brilliance as it turned to morning dew. A bird twittered in gay euphoria. A young bushy-tailed animal blinked into the new day in silent wonder of all that life...   
  
Meanwhile, there was chaos in the house of Lina Inverse. Fitting, eh?   
  
Shall we recap Please, skip past this part if you know what's going on. And if you read the previous chapters, you may get a better idea of what's happening.   
  
Lina Inverse, high school student, was heading home from school one Friday afternoon with her friends Amelia and Gourry. While going on their merry little way, they were confronted by two strangers, Zelgadiss and Xelloss. Not only did these strangers claim to be from another world, but they also said they were good friends/traveling partners with the counterparts of Lina & co. in their world. Lina is plagued by memories that may or may not be her own; Zelgadiss is amazed that he is human again; and Xelloss is trying his best to manipulate a slightly skewed love triangle/quadrilateral/polygon to his favour. The group's only lead is a grimy little bar called the Dragon Slave. When we last left off, Lina and her friends, and also the strangers, were getting a good night's sleep before heading down to the Slave.   
  
Amelia was floating. No, she was dancing. Her shimmering gown of ivory iridescence outshone all the other garments at the ball and this was how it should be. Today she, Princess Amelia Wil Tesla Sailloon would become a queen-in-training. Tonight was the night her father would become king. The other King, her grandfather Bryce, had finally passed on after a four-year ordeal with a painful disease. He was a short, slight little man who had ruled well and knew when the time had come for him to pass on the ruling to Phil, making him the crowned prince. His suffering was over. This was a day for celebration, not mourning.   
  
A man clad in beige, with an obscured face entered the ballroom. Whispers laced throughout the crowd as they parted to let the beige shadow slip gracefully past. He moved towards her, and Amelia smiled. This was as it should be, too. He paused before her, bowing deeply and fluently. Ice blue eyes met her own shimmering pools of water. It was Zelgadiss, but his hair was metallic, his skin a soft teal with stones dotted throughout. But it was right, normal, and her heart sang when he took her ivory chin in a rocky hand. She closed her eyes and leaned forward, knowing that he did the same. A breath was shared between them, and -   
  
IBANG BANG BANG /i  
  
"Shit..."   
  
"Dammit...Lina! Let us out!"   
  
"Aw, I thought you'd like to be alone for a while, rrowrr..."   
  
"AUGH! Forget him! Lina, just let me out. He can stay in here!"   
  
"Hrmph. Cranky..."   
  
"Shut the hell up, Xelloss."   
  
With great consternation, Amelia forced her sleep filled eyes open. She watched blearily as Lina stumbled around her room searching for the basement key and growling to herself.   
  
"Grr... Stupid fraggin' people banging around so early in the fraggin' morning. Ooh, I should just go down there and..."   
  
"Lina?"   
  
"What?" she snapped.   
  
"Er... Well, did that Zelgadiss guy look a little, erm, green to you yesterday?"   
  
Lina placed a hand to her forehead in exasperation, "Amelia, I'm tired, I'm stressed out, I have two complete weirdos locked in my basement, and I have a feeling this is gonna be one of those days. Just tell me what the heck your talking about and get it over with."   
  
"Nevermind."   
  
"Alright then!" Her bare feet made a padding sound as he wandered down the hallway, unlocking the door and swinging it wide to watch the two fall over and on top of each other.   
  
Ow... "Lina..."   
  
She waggled a finger, her early morning cheer neither convincing, nor cheery, "No complaining, no. We've got a busy day ahead of us." She dropped the act, "So get your arses into gear. The faster we get down there, the faster I never have to see you again."   
  
"Er, Lina?"   
  
"What, Xelloss?"   
  
"Nice jammies"   
  
Not only were the pajamas nice, Xelloss realized, but he matching slippers she was beating him over the head with were pretty snazzy too.   
  
Amelia exited the room to be greeted with a po'ed Lina beating the snot out of a painfully smiling Xelloss, and a rather bedraggled Zelgadiss rolling his eyes in a most put-out looking way. Hrm, she thought, poor guy, he must not have slept very well...Wait, I'm not supposed to care.   
  
The almost-princess's observations were correct, though. Zelgadiss had slept horribly. Xel had slipped into sleep easily, enjoying it after not having any use of it for so long. Zel hadn't been so lucky. He was assaulted with nightmares of all shapes and tones last night, and had slept fitfully because of it. Coupled with having a solid roof over his head and the strange noises of the magic house, it made for anything but refreshing.   
  
Lina had slept like a log, but that didn't mean she was exactly chipper. When she had thoroughly beaten Xelloss, she stood, kicking him once more for good measure, "Alright, let's just get ready and GO!"   



End file.
